Stackable liquid containment system

ABSTRACT

A system is provided for storing and transporting a plurality of individual servings of a liquid. The system stores each serving in an individual container so that it is sealed from the external environment by the base of a container of another serving that is stacked directly on top of it.

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/758,757, filed Nov. 12, 2018, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD

The disclosed embodiments relate to systems and methods for the storage and transport of liquids. In particular, the disclosed embodiments relate to storing and transporting beverages in serving sized containers that are sealed in an airtight manner to avoid spills.

BACKGROUND

Serving beverages to multiple individuals may be challenging to achieve while avoiding spillage. This is particularly true when the beverages are small, such as shots of alcohol. Pouring and carrying multiple shots often results in spilling portions of the contents due to the small size of the shot glass vessels themselves. This is especially true in crowded bars or even in uncrowded bars with large orders.

This reality can result in multiple trips to deliver shots, spilled alcohol, and slowed serving pace, thereby reducing efficiency. Better systems and methods are disclosed herein for serving, containing and transport of liquids, and in particular, shot-sized pours of liquids.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for storing and transporting liquids, and in particular shots in individual shot sized glasses. The shot glasses are formed to stack to each other so that each shot glass can be filled with liquid and engage another shot glass in a sealing manner. The system and method form a single stack of a plurality of shot glasses, each shot glass filled with a liquid, and the stack being able to be carried in any orientation without spilling any of the liquid in each glass.

The above description, as well as additional objects, features, and aspects of the disclosed embodiments, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description, including the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the disclosed embodiments illustrating two shot glasses in a stacked system configuration;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a shot glass and lid of the system of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a shot glass of FIGS. 1-2 filled with a liquid and closed with a lid.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a side view of a stacking system 10 in a sealed stacked configuration comprising first and second stackable shot glasses 2, 2′ arranged in a stacked configuration one on top of the other. The liquid storage region 20 of the first stackable shot glass is depicted to include liquid 8 and is sealed in an airtight manner by liquid sealing means 6 formed between an inner top portion of the second stackable stackable shot glass 2′ and an outer bottom portion of the first stackable shot glass 2. Base surface 14 of the second stackable shot glass 2′ provides a flat surface for the system 10 to be set on a bar, table or other surface, and further provides a coupling thread 12 around its circumference to be sealing coupled to another stackable shot glass.

As shown in this embodiment, liquid sealing means 6 may include threads 12 formed on an outer base portion of the first stackable shot glass configured to twistingly engage with threads 22 formed in an interior sidewall of liquid storage region 20 of the second stackable shot glass 2′. Second stackable shot glass 2′ also includes threads 12 formed on an outer base portion configured to twistingly engages with interior threads of another stackable shot glass.

In another embodiment, liquid sealing means may alternatively include a rubber gasket, or o-ring, coupled to an annular detent 23 in exterior of the outer base portion of the first stackable shot glass 2 configured to engage via an interference fit with the interior sidewall of the liquid storage region 20 of the second stackable shot glass 2′. Rubber gasket may be coupled to the base via an adhesive and/or may be coupled via an annular detent 23 formed in the exterior of the outer base portion sized to receive the rubber gasket. A similar gasket or o-ring configuration may be positioned in a similar annular detent 25 formed in the lid. In some embodiments, the gasket configuration may provide a sufficient coupling so that there are no threads to form the engagement.

First stackable shot glass 2 may contain liquid 8 and be coupled to a lid 16 to seal the liquid 8 in the shot glass 2 in an airtight manner as illustrated in FIG. 3. Lid 15 may include a side wall 4 for a user to grip to aid in coupling and removal of the lid. Each of lid 15 and stackable shot glasses 2, 2′ in the stacking system 10 are depicted to generally have circular cross-sections. Each of lid side wall 4, and outermost side walls 26 of the stackable shot glasses 2, 2′ may have continuous and equal diameters so that in the assembled configuration, the stacking system 10 forms approximately a uniform exterior sidewall along its entire length. In this manner, the assembled stacking system 10 forms a single cylinder of generally constant outside diameter to be handled. Although this system 10 is shown with two stackable stackable shot glasses 2, 2′, it is envisioned that any number of stackable shot glasses may be coupled to each other to form a sealed stack.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, first stackable shot glass 2 and lid 16 may be coupled via sealing threads 24, 22. In this embodiment, threads 22 are formed in the interior sidewall surface of the stackable shot glass 2. In this manner, the stackable shot glass 2 provides a smooth exterior surface for a user to drink from. Lid 16 is configured to have a base portion 30 that projects downward from a top surface of the lid, is circular, and has a smaller diameter than the sidewall 4 of the lid 16. Base portion 30 includes threads 24 projecting from an exterior wall of the base portion 30 and configured to mate with the inner threads of the stackable shot glass 2 to form a seal. As shown in FIGS. 2-3, there may also be a fill line 18 provided as a visible conical shaped flare in the storage region to indicate where the liquid may stop to ensure space for the base portion of the lid 30 or a base portion 28 of another stackable shot glass. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the diameter of the lid base portion 30 and the diameter of the stackable shot glass base portion 28 are substantially similar so that lids and stackable shot glasses can be used interchangeably to seal a liquid inside a stackable shot glass 2.

In a method of operation for using the stacking system 10, at least two stackable shot glasses may be filled with a fluid no higher than a fill line. The base of a first stackable shot glass is inserted into the interior liquid storage region of a second stackable shot glass to seal the liquid inside the second shot glass between the base of the second shot glass and the sidewalls of the first stackable shot glass forming a stacked configuration. Additional stackable shot glasses may be added in sealing engagement to the stacked configuration as needed. Additional stackable shot glasses may be sealingly coupled to either the base of the second stackable shot glass or the interior liquid storage region of the first stackable shot glass. The topmost stackable shot glass may be sealed by either an empty stackable shot glass in sealing engagement with the interior liquid storage region or a lid in sealing engagement with the interior liquid storage region to form a stacked system cylinder of individual servings of liquid that are separate and sealed from each other. The cylinder may be transported or carried to another location for distribution in any orientation without leaking occurring. In order to distribute and serve the individual servings of liquid, a user may start to separate the stackable shot glasses from the bottom by untwisting or otherwise separating the coupling between each stackable shot glass exposing the interior liquid storage region of each stackable shot glass for consumption of its contents and also exposing a flat surface of a base of each stackable shot glass so that each stackable shot glass may be set on a surface such as a table or bar. The final shot glass may be served by removing the lid. Alternatively, the stackable shot glasses may be separated and served starting with the uppermost shot glass and lid removal at the top of the sealed stacked configuration. By stacking the stackable shot glasses on top of each other without intervening covers, the stack is more quickly assembled and disassembled with fewer parts to maintain and track when the stackable shot glasses are not stacked.

In general, FDA materials approved for food contact may be used to form each of the lid 16 and the containers 2. Stackable Shot glasses may be formed of glass or plastics, for example. In some embodiments the system, including the each stackable shot glass 2 and lid 16 may be formed using 3-D printing. Although the shot glasses have been provided in cylindrical shape to conform to a typical stackable shot glass handling experience, the stackable shot glasses may also be in other shapes such as square cross-sectioned. Further, the stackable shot glasses may be used to store liquor, travel liquids, solids, or any other contents that require separate and airtight storage or transport. Although embodiments are presented as shot glasses having shot glass dimensions, i.e. approximately 50 mL, the stackable system could also be made larger or smaller to accommodate different individual fluid volumes.

Though the disclosed embodiment has been described by way of a detailed description in which various embodiments and aspects of the invention have been described, it will be seen by one skilled in the art that the full scope of the invention is not limited to the examples presented herein. 

1. A stackable shot glass system for storing and transporting a plurality of individual servings of a liquid comprising: a first stackable shot glass comprising a base configured to be set on a flat surface and an interior liquid storage region, a second stackable shot glass comprising a base configured to be set on a flat surface and an interior liquid storage region; and means for coupling the first stackable shot glass to the second stackable shot glass by forming an airtight seal between the base of the first stackable shot glass and the interior liquid storage region of the second stackable shot glass so that the contents of the interior liquid storage region of the second stackable shot glass can be transported without spillage.
 2. The stackable shot glass system of claim 1, wherein the means for coupling comprises threading arranged on an exterior wall of the base of the first stackable shot glass and configured to mate in twisting engagement with corresponding threading arranged on an interior wall of the interior liquid storage region of the second stackable shot glass.
 3. The stackable shot glass system of claim 1, wherein the means for coupling comprises a gasket arranged around the circumference of the base of the first stackable shot glass, the gasket configured to mate in an interference fit with an interior wall of the interior liquid storage region of the second stackable shot glass.
 4. The stackable shot glass system of claim 1, further comprising a lid having a base configured form an airtight seal with an interior liquid storage region of the first stackable shot glass.
 5. The stackable shot glass system of claim 4, wherein the base of the lid has a gasket arranged around the circumference of the base, the gasket configured to mate in an interference fit with an interior wall of the interior liquid storage region of the first stackable shot glass.
 6. The stackable shot glass system of claim 4, wherein the base of the lid has threading arranged on an exterior wall of the base configured to mate in twisting engagement with corresponding threading arranged on an interior wall of the interior liquid storage region of the first stackable shot glass.
 7. The stackable shot glass system of claim 4, wherein the first stackable shot glass, the second stackable shot glass, each have an outermost sidewall of equal diameter.
 8. The stackable shot glass system of claim 4, wherein the means for coupling the first stackable shot glass to the second stackable shot glass is the same the lid configuration for coupling the lid to the first or to the second stackable shot glass.
 9. A method for using a stackable shot system comprising: providing at least two stackable shot glasses, coupling a first stackable shot glass base into an interior liquid storage region of the second stackable shot glass to form an airtight seal between the first and second stackable shot glasses, and coupling a lid to the first stackable shot glass to form an airtight seal between the first stackable shot glass and the lid, wherein the first and second stackable shotglass, and the lid form an assembled stacking system.
 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a third stackable shot glass and coupling an interior liquid storage region of the third stackable shot glass to a base of the second stackable shot glass to form a seal between the second and third stackable shot glasses.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein each of the first stackable shot glass, the second stackable shot glass, and the lid include one of a gasket or threads for coupling.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the first stackable shot glass, the second stackable shot glass, and the lid include a base configured to be set on a flat surface.
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the stackable shot glasses comprises a liquid in the interior liquid storage region.
 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising separating the third stackable shot glass from the second stackable shot glass to expose the liquid in the interior liquid storage region of the third stackable shot glass while maintaining the couplings between the first and second stackable shot glasses and the lid.
 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising separating the second stackable shot glass from the first stackable shot glass to expose the liquid in the interior liquid storage region of the second stackable shot glass while maintaining the couplings between the first stackable shot glass and the lid.
 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising separating the first stackable shot glass from the lid to expose the liquid in the interior liquid storage region of the first stackable shot glass. 